LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, UNITED STATES NOVEMBER 2, 2019: American boxer Ryan Garcia wins his WBC Silver and NABO lightweight title bout against Philippine rival Romero Duno at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Valery Sharifulin/TASS PUBLICATIONxINxGERxAUTxONLY TS0C18B1
Ryan Garcia talks about UFC middleweight champion Alex Pereira’s famed left hook
Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya will rematch in the main event of UFC 287 on April 8, with Pereira promising to end this rivalry for good and Adesanya hoping to regain the middleweight title and make things even.
After two previous encounters on the professional kickboxing circuit, Pereira and Adesanya were destined to square off in the main event of UFC 281 last November at Madison Square Garden. Pereira had a 3-0 record in the Octagon, and Adesanya was one of the UFC’s most dominant titleholders at the time.
Pereira scored a come-from-behind stoppage at 2:01 of the fifth round to win the middleweight title. The previous four rounds were a tense war of nerves that thrilled the sold-out crowd. They’re scheduled for a rematch at UFC 287.
Undefeated boxing prospect Ryan Garcia appeared on the ‘Impaulsive’ podcast and lauded Alex Pereira’s striking skills. He said:
You know what’s crazy, though? I’ve never seen somebody throw a hook like me, but Pereira does throw a hook like me. He throws it where… you don’t use your legs too much. He just crack! That was crazy. I mean that guy, he’s scary. I don’t think I would even want to be near this man.”
He further added, “He’s just a destroyer… He fights like a terminator. He’s weird bro. Dude is… he’s something else, bro. He’s something else.”
The Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to the Miami-Dade Arena with two marquee bouts, including a homecoming bout for one of the sport’s biggest stars almost exactly 20 years after UFC 42: Sudden Impact.
At UFC 287, former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya faces defending champion Alex Pereira for the fourth time between the kickboxing arena and the octagon. And Jorge Masvidal, a Miami native, returns for a crucial bout against Gilbert Burns.
Pereira defeated Adesanya by TKO in the fifth round of their UFC 281 title bout, claiming the middleweight championship in only his fourth octagon appearance.
Adesanya now has the opportunity to avenge his loss, however, Pereira is leaving no stone unturned in preparation. Pereira is training with the Chinese professional boxer Zhilei Zhang in preparation for the fight. As an amateur, he earned bronze medals in the super-heavyweight event at the 2007 and 2009 World Championships and a silver medal in the 2008 Olympics. The Ring ranks him as the eleventh-best heavyweight in September 2022.
Pereira posted a bunch of training photos on Instagram with the caption:
“After doing 4 rounds with @zhileibigbangzhang I am more confident for my next fight, it was a very tough and dangerous sparring but I needed it and confirmed I am ready!!”
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